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' (No Mo deL) v v O.-L. TRAVIS. CARPET SWE PER;

No. 293,988. Patented Feb. 19, 1884.

IMCHTOT @JMW Er RS. aka-Lithography. Wishingon.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.) I

2 Sheets-S heet -2.

C. L. TRAVIS. CARPET SWEEBBB.

Patented Feb. 19, 1884.

N. Firms. Pmlo-m n m. W-mhingion. D. c.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES L. TRAVIS, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO THE WILTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CARPET-SWEEPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent vNo. 293,988, dated February 19, 1884.

Application filed September 26, 1682.

To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known that I, CHARLES L. TRAVIS, of Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain Improvements in Carpet-Sweepers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of traveling carpet-sweepers for domestic use wherein a horizontal revolving brush is mounted in the bottom of an inclosing case or body provided I with carrying-wheels, from which motion is imparted to the brush.

The invention consists in various details of construction, which will be hereinafter described and specifically claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents an end elevation of my improved machine; Fig.2, a top plan view of the same With one end shown in horizontal section on the line a." m, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a vertical transverse section through the center of the machine; Fig. 4, a vertical section through one side of the machine, in line with the axis of the rotary brush; Fig. 5, a perspective view of the dust-pan.

A represents the body of the machine, con sisting of a rectangular body, closed except at the under side.

B B represent four carrying or traction wheels, arranged two at each end of the body, each wheel having its journal carried, as shown in Fig. 2, by a swinging arm, a, pivoted at one end to the body, so that the latter may rise and fall.

In order to limit the swinging motion of the arms they are each provided, as shown in Fig. 1, with a slot, 1;, through which a screw or stop-pin, c, is inserted into the body. .If desired, these screws may also be employed as a means of fastening the arms in position to prevent the body from rising and falling in relation to the wheels.

I prefer, as shown in the drawings, to make each wheel with a concave periphery, and to apply thereto an elastic tire or covering, S, which may be cemented in place or permitted to contract with sufficient force to prevent its displacement. These rubber tires serve the twofold purpose of causing the traction-wheels to engage firmly with the floor, and also of (No model.)

imparting motionwith greater certainty to the brush-pinion, as hereinafter described.

C" represents the horizontal cylindrical A brush, extending from end to end through the center of the body, andprovided at each end with a journal, d, extending outward through a vertical slot therein, as represented in the various figures. At each end the brush has its journal provided outside the body with a brush-pulley, e, which is made of such size and so arranged with respect to the drivingwheelsas to bear against their surfaces, as represented in Figs. 1 and 2, so that as the main wheels are rotated by engagement with the floor as the machine moves forward they will both act upon andimpart motion to the brush-pulley and thence to the brush. It will be observed that in the drawings all four of the main wheels are arranged to act in rotating the brush; but reliance may be placed upon one, two, or more of the wheels for this purpose, if preferred.

On reference to Fig. 1 it will be perceived that the wheel-carrying arms a are pivoted in such relation to the brush-pulley that the weight of the body upon the arms tendsto draw the main wheels inward toward each other, thereby causing them to engage with firmness against opposite sides of the brushpulley. It is preferred to employ the arms in this manner; but, if desired, the wheels may be adjusted by hand to exert the proper pressure upon the brush-pulley, and secured in position by tightening the set-screws to hold the arms a, as previously explained.

For the purpose of retaining the dust and dirt taken up by the brush, I employ in the bottom of the body two pans, D D, extending lengthwise thereof, and closing the bottom on opposite sides of the brush. Each of these pans is provided with upturned flanges at the inner edges in contact with the surface of the brush, and also with similarly upturned flanges at the outer edges, as usual. The two pans this arrangement permitting the pans to swing downward from the bottom of the body when the accumulated dirt is to be discharged from them.

For the purpose of holding the pans upward in a closed condition, the one on the opposite side of the machine is provided with an up-- turned elastic lip, is, ordinarily made of springwire, arranged to spring over and engage with astud or projection, Z, on the front of the body, as shown in Fig. 1. This latch may be engaged by the foot of the operator when the machine stands upon the floor, and the body lifted therefrom by means of the operatinghandle, the opening of the machine being thus effected without requiring the operator to bend downward for the purpose. In order to facilitate this opening of the body, which is provided with the usual operating-handle, F, attached thereto by a pivoted bail or fork, I provide in each end of the body a stud or stop, m. This stop is located in such position that upon swinging the handle F backward it will encounter the stop, and thereby lock the handle rigidly in position in relation to the body,

so that upon moving the handle farther backward it will tip the body upward away from the pan, which is in the meantime held downward by the foot of the attendant, as before explained. The stop m may be constructed and applied in any suitable manner; but it is preferred, as shown in the drawings, to cast it upon the adjustable plate, which forms the bearing for the journals of the rotary brush, as hereinafter explained.

In order to adapt the machine for the vary ing conditions under which it is used and compensate for the wear of the brush, it is necessary that the latter shall be adjustable vertically with respect to the body. For the purpose of securing this adjustment its journals are mounted in vertical slots in the ends of the bodyand sustainedby spring-arms or equivalent yielding supports 12, applied to the plates, by which the dust pans are connected, as

shown in Figs. 2 and 4. These spring-arms one at each end of the machine, consist simply of a' forked plate provided with vertical slots to receive fastening-screws p, and also provided with inwardly-turned flanges q, forked or notched on the under side, to receive the journal of the roll, which is forced and held upward thereunder by the spring-supports before mentioned. It will thus be seen that each journal is held and guided between the bearing-plate on its upper and the spring-support under its lower side, and that by adjusting the bearing-plates vertically the elevation of the brush may be varied as required. WVhen the machine is opened, the roller-supports n are carried with the dust-pan, leaving the roller free to drop out of the body, so that it may be cleansed from the adhering dust and dirt. This feature of securing the brush in position by means of the dust-pans is an importantfea- Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a carpet-sweeper, the combination of a case or body, a rotary brush therein, and a hinged dust-receiver constructed, substantially as described, to retain the brush in position withinthe body.

2. In combination with the case or body, the rotary brush having its journals seated in bearings therein, and the dust-receiver provided with spring arms orsupports beneath the journals of the brush.

3. In a carpet-sweeper, the combination of the rotary brush and the case or body provided with the movable dust-receiver, having spring-supports to act upon the journals of the brush.

4. In combination with the slotted body and the removable rotary brush, the dust-receiver provided with notches to receive the journals of the brush and hold the latter in position to enter the slots of the body, as described and shown.

5. In a carpet-sweeper, the combination of he body provided with vertical slots, the removable rotary brush having journals to enter said slots, and a dust-pan removable from the tinder side of the body and arranged to bear against the journals of the brush, as described, whereby it is caused to retain the brush in position.

CHARLES L. TRAVIS.

\Vitnesses:

JOHN J. MOGLELLAN, MERIUM TABOR. 

